HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. SIM RONQUILLO

The Philippine Government thinks that Nigeria is not safe and it warranted a Travel Ban. The OFWs think otherwise. After all, if parties can be held almost every week in Abuja, in Lagos and in other parts of Nigeria, our government’s perception of SAFETY is somewhat jaundiced.

March 1, 2009 Sunday, Mr. Sim Ronquillo was feted by his wife, family and friends with a birthday lunch in their residence. Purely Filipino food – kare-kare being the main attraction – sheer delight.



the gift I have for you
is a promise to be true
through all the years
I’ll never ever bring you tears…
Mr. & Mrs. Sim Ronquillo




'VACANCY! FRONT TEETH URGENTLY NEEDED, PLEASE APPLY INSIDE' Allysa



Kat and Daddy - the celebrant



we are FAMILY



Family - Ampy, Allysa, Sim, Jamie, Jay R and Kat



Julius, Sr. Res, Sim, Ampy, Mercy, Sr. Mary Grace



Julius, Sr. Res, Sim and Ampy



Ampy and Angie


Fely, Merz with Jamie, Con-Gen, Sim Ronquillo - the celebrant, Kat, Gel,Lito, Renz, Ace, Anjo, John


Nonits, Con-Gen Alex and Cocoy



Sisters' act with Con-Gen. Alex



Sr. Res, Vanz, Sr. Mary Grace, Ampy, Merz, Sr. Ortencia



Jay R!!! Again???


Sheen, Otie, John, Sr. Eflaida, Renz, Ric, Sr. Ortencia


Sheen, Anjo and Otie




Behind every delightful food is.... Chef Gladys



JT, Nonits, Maris, Kat, Julius, Ric, Efren, Boy, Nestor, Cocoy, Tikboy, Renz, Rex, Sherwin



...ay, iyan ang 'wag na 'wag maniniwala... bining bini... posing laang 'yan... dinaklot nyan ang chocolate cake!'

...grammar freaks? nagpapatunaw lang ng kinain sila.

Keep posted...more to follow...
MABUHAY!

13 Filipinos in Nigeria oil theft freed

13 Filipinos in Nigeria oil theft freed
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:19:00 02/26/2009

Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Crime, Robbery and theft, Prison, Oil & Gas - Upstream activities
Most Read
MANILA, Philippines -- Less than a week after they were convicted of stealing 12,500 tons of crude oil from the Niger Delta, 13 Filipino seafarers were released Thursday afternoon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Citing a report from the Office of the Vice President, DFA acting spokesman Ed Malay said the 13 were released after the owner of the M/T Akuada, Corinthian City, paid the fine of $6,800 for each seaman.
Last Friday, February 20, a Nigerian court sentenced the Filipinos to five years imprisonment or the fine after they were caught on November 13, 2008 stealing or illegally transporting oil, commonly known as oil bunkering.
Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest oil producers, exporting some two million barrels of oil per day, loses an estimated 100,000 barrels of liters of crude or refined petroleum products every day to organized gangs that tap pipelines and siphon off tons of oil.
Citing various kidnapping incidents, the Philippine government has a standing work ban in Nigeria.

ANOTHER PUSONG PINOY FAMILY AFFAIR

Travel Ban or no Travel Ban, the party must go on. After all, this is the 28th birthday celebration of Sherwin Cayabyab, the youngest addition to Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company. The Pusong Pinoy family affair was held at the D & S camp where Sherwin resides. The celebration was duly attended by our Consul-General Alex V. Lamadrid. Being a genuine family affair, everybody brought something for the celebrant which were shared – something like – one for all and all for one –
Mabuhay ang Pusong Pinoy!

The celebrant, Sherwin, blowing the birthday candle
Vanz, Merz, Sherwin, Con-Gen, Sheen

Con-Gen with the celebrant and the rest of the guests
Sherwin, Con-Gen Lamadrid, Nestor
Ottie, Sherwin and Con-Gen Lamadrid
The Sisters with Alyssa and Nestor




Maris (Royal Flush?)
Sr. Ortencia,Ric and Niel
Sherwin, struggling with the bottle
Lunch time




Sheen, Lolit, Lito, Julius


Noni and Sherwin




Dottie, Fely, Ampy
The very likeable Gel, and the equally likeable 2 AM's - Allan Minoza and Allan (hotline) Manggis




Meds Pare Koy, Ric, Rex
A rare pic of the ever 'reclusive' Stan (sa Pinoy, si Islaw)



Ottie, very Oriental



Pare Koy giving tips to Sheen






Post Valentine





Efren, Allan, Islaw and Benjie




More pics will be posted.

Convicted OFWs in Nigeria given lawyer

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:01:00 02/23/2009

Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Prison, Crime and Law and Justice, Crime, Robbery and theft, Oil & Gas - Downstream activities

MANILA, Philippines -- Thirteen Filipinos convicted and sentenced for stealing crude oil in Nigeria have been given a lawyer by their employer, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.
DFA spokesman Bayani Mangibin said the owner of the M/T Akuada had retained a lawyer to handle the defense of the seamen, who were sentenced to five years in jail or a fine of one million nair (around $6,800) for stealing 12,500 tons of crude oil from the Niger Delta.
Mangibin confirmed the seafarers’ conviction last Friday but could not say if they would appeal the decision since he has yet to receive any information from the Philippine embassy in Lagos.
Earlier, wire reports said the 13 Filipino seafarers pleaded guilty to the theft. The 13 were among 22 Filipinos arrested by a joint army-navy patrol on the Warri River on November 14, 2008.
Nigeria, one of Africa's largest oil producers, exporting some two million barrels of oil per day, loses an estimated 100,000 barrels of liters of crude or refined petroleum products every day to organized gangs that tap pipelines and siphon off tons of oil.
Citing various kidnapping incidents, the Philippine government has a standing ban on Filipinos who want to work in Nigeria.

Filipino oil bunkerers

13 Filipinos Jailed 65 Years for Oil Theft
By Joseph Ushigiale, 02.21.2009

13 Filipinos were convicted to five years in jail or given the option of a N1 million fine each yesterday after pleading guilty to handling oil products suspected to have been stolen in the Niger Delta.
The accused persons who were arrested on November 14 2008, and charged to court on December 17 2008, initially pleaded not guilty on arraignment, but later changed their plea.
The charges against them included conspiracy to commit felony; to deal in petroleum products without authorization; dealing in 12,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products, suspected to be crude oil; and bunkering in a vessel marked MT-AKUADA.
Justice Chukwura Nnamani of the Federal High Court, Benin in his judgement, sentenced the 13 accused persons to five years imprisonment, or a fine of one million naira (N1,000,000) each.
The names of the accused persons (all-male) are: Erwin Anas 47 years, Celso T. Bael 40 years, Pedro Gementiza 46 years, Reagan Colorge 24 years, Ronnie Fabricante 52 years, Sebastian G. Tedoosio 37 years, George N. Balore 50 years, Roland D. Caro 25 years, Marcelo Galola 34 years, Revel A. Dos Dosir Jnr. 24 years, Richard Peniano34 years, Arjay Alvarez 21 years and Celso V. Zapauta 47 years.
A team of naval personnel from the Forward Operation Base (FOB) had on November 14, arrested the Filipinos on board a vessel named MT-AKUADA.
The vessel was loaded with 12,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products and was already on outbound transit around Escravos Breakwater.
Once the occupants of the vessel were intercepted, they were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Port Harcourt through the Joint Task Force (Operation Restore Hope), Warri.
Barely three weeks ago, seven Ghanaians and a Nigerian, were also arrested in the Niger Delta with stolen petroleum product worth over N300 million. The eight of them are due to be arraigned at a Benin Federal High Court next Tuesday.
Some estimates say 100,000 barrels of crude are stolen from the Niger Delta each day, amounting to some five percent of the country's production and equivalent to around $4 million daily or $1.5 billion a year at current prices.
It is shipped out of Nigeria and sold on the international market. Human Rights Watch has put the amount stolen at two or three times that level.

RP bars travel to West Bank, Gaza Strip

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/20/2009 3:24 PM

The Philippine government on Friday advised all Filipinos against traveling to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip due to the current security situation in those areas.
A statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs said the current cease-fire declared by the Israeli government last January 17 remains fragile due to continued rocket fire and air strikes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants. The 22-day Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip left over 1,300 Palestinians dead and over 5,400 wounded.
"Filipinos who travel to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip despite this travel warning do so at their own risk. Without a Philippine Embassy or official representation inside the territory, the Philippine Government will be unable to assist its nationals inside Gaza should violence escalate," the DFA advisory said.
The government earlier assisted in the repatriation of several Filipinos living in Gaza.
as of 02/20/2009 3:24 PM

Seafarers

6 Pinoys stranded in Nigeria back in Manila Thursday
02/18/2009 | 03:40 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Noli De Castro on Wednesday said six of the nine Filipino seafarers reportedly stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, will arrive in Manila Thursday.

The announcement came after De Castro - who is also adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers - had ordered the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the local manning agency that contracted the seamen to bring home the group immediately.

The Filipinos were part of the 18-man crew of M/T Meredith, and who were said to have escaped from an attack by armed pirates on January 21 at Bonny Terminal in Nigeria.

“The families of the seafarers informed our office that their loved ones have already been transferred from a supply boat (EVA 2) to a tugboat (Gallant) and now on their way to Lomé Port in Ghana, West Africa. They reported that 3 of them were not able to join the group that will be repatriated as they were the ones left to man M/T Meredith. We confirmed this with Seagem and with the Philippine embassy in Abuja, Nigeria," De Castro said.

He said the six who are returning home on Flight GF154 are Rogelio Andales, Raymon de Domingo, Gloriand Sales, Michael Domingo, Alfredo Ferrer and Jebb Alonte. The three who were left behind are Novelito Trapsi, Elmer Cruz and George Parreño.

Manning agency Seagem Maritime Int’l contracted the Filipino crewmen, who manned a ship reportedly owned by Corinthian Maritime SA, Golden Carrier Shipping and Maritime Management Synergy SA.

“Seagem, through Capt. Jun Tuason, explained that their agency immediately acted upon our request. The three seafarers who remained in Nigeria will be included in the next batch to be repatriated. While OWWA Chief Carmelita Dimzon said that assistance to the group will be given upon their arrival in Manila," VP De Castro said. - GMANews.TV

Pinoys Abroad

Expat: Pinoys abroad tagged 'thieves' due to corruption in RP
02/19/2009 | 11:11 AM

MANILA, Philippines- Reports of widespread corruption in the country make Filipinos overseas “look like thieves" to some people in host countries, an expatriate said in a letter to a senator.

Senator Manuel Roxas said a Canada-based Filipino, Johnny de Leon, wrote to him the disheartening letter via E-mail.

“Filipinos now living abroad are being insulted because of the brazen corruption in this government. Filipinos abroad, especially Fil-Ams, despise the dishonesty of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s allies," Roxas said in a statement.

In his letter, De Leon wrote how the Filipino community in Canada boycotted a supermarket after a Canadian store worker reportedly shouted “You all Filipinos are thieves!" to a Pinoy child picking candy at the sweets section.

"Paano nagkaroon ng ganong mentality ang dayuhang tinderang ito kung hindi niya nabasa o napanood sa TV ang mga kurakutan diyan sa atin?" De Leon wrote.

[That Canadian store worker wouldn’t have had that mentality if he didn’t see on TV, or read about corruption in the Philippines.]

De Leon continued: “Mas maganda pa noong panahon ni Marcos, kung totoo man, si Marcos lang ang nagnanakaw pero marami namang nakitang naipagawa, ngayon lahat halos ng may utang na loob [kay] Gloria na ipinuwesto niya sa gobyerno, walang takot magnakaw."

[It was better during Ferdinand Marcos’ time; even if they said he was corrupt, one could see the things he had done for the country. On the contrary, all Gloria Arroyo appointees are fearless in being corrupt.]

De Leon stressed that he is especially suspicious of the President’s husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

Senator Roxas said that Filipinos overseas are receiving bad reputation lately due to the World Bank report that blacklisted eight firms for engaging in collusive practices under the bank-financed road projects in the Philippines.

Opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson tagged the First Gentleman as one of those engaged in the corrupt practices, even as the Philippine Senate is holding hearings on the issue.

"Napakasakit isipin na ang mga kapatid ko at pamilya nila diyan na nagkukumahog sa pagta-trabaho ng marangal para lang may mailaman sa tiyan ay madadamay na mawalan ng dangal dahil lamang sa pagnanakaw ng iilang tao.

[It hurts to think that my siblings and their families who are toiling hard to earn a decent living will be stripped of their dignity because of corrupt practices of a few people.]

While Roxas said that it is not too late for the President to redeem herself, he said she needs to muster enough political will to make accountable those who have “shamed" the country.

“Our country's honor is important. As president of this country, it is her responsibility to preserve our reputation," he said.

For De Leon, the damage has already been done to Filipino migrant workers and expatriates like him who are judged unfairly because of the Philippine government’s bad reputation.

There are over eight million Filipinos overseas, data from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas showed. Of this number, about four million are considered overseas Filipino workers. - Mark Joseph Ubalde, GMANews.TV

the 50th Year

The 50th Year
To reside in this Planet Earth for 50 years is an achievement. Imagine half a century basking in the glory of the Almighty is bliss.
Last Friday, February 13, Sister Resurrection celebrated her 50th birthday. Msgr. Renso presided over the celebration and many well-wishers came to celebrate with her.
Pictures speak more.
A very enjoyable evening indeed!

The Papal Nuncio addressing the celebrant and the guests

Sis Res, the celebrant

Sisters with Con-Gen, Thalia and Lolit
Family Barraquias

Jay R and Kat

Mercado Family
Mr. and Mrs. Ronquillo

The Celebrant

















Another Champ












Who can resist being Nadal?






More pictures will be posted, so keep posted.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

THE CEO of Foby Engineering Company is in urgent need of highly qualified/skilled Filipino Engineers and Accountant to fill the following posts:

Construction
Project Manager - 1 nos
Must have long experience in roads, bridges, dredging, steel
sheet piling, etc.
QA/QC and Safety knowledge

Technical Manager - 1 nos
Well-versed in the use of Surveying Equipment (land and marine)
Software literate 3D, AUDTO CAD, Surveyor Programming
Long exxperience in bidding, BOQ, Certificate/ Valuation, etc

Surveyor Field Supervisor - 1 nos
Quantity Surveyor - 1 nos
Cosntruction (Site) Engineers - 2 nos
IT Manager - 1 nos
Financial/Admin manager (Accountant) - 1 nos

STR Quota available, salary package commensurate to prevailing expat rate and/or depending to experience.

The site is at Lokoja - 204 km from Abuja

Send your latest resume to:

pusongpinoytayo@gmail.com

RP Embassy worker in Iraq killed

02/12/2009 | 08:21 PM

MANILA, Philippines — Proposals to resume deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq face yet another obstacle with the killing of a staff of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad.

Vice President Noli de Castro on Thursday identified the unfortunate worker as Vergine Elias Jamil, a caretaker of the Philippine chancery since November 1985.

Jamil and two other companions were killed by unknown assailants on the night of Feb. 5, said De Castro, who is also the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

De Castro said a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) report gave no further details on the killings. He said the result of police investigation on the case could weigh heavily on whether the government should lift the ban on deployment of Filipinos to war-ravaged Iraq.

“We are closely coordinating with our Philippine Embassy in Baghdad as to the outcome of the Iraqi police’s investigation. This incident will be considered in our deliberation on the possible lifting of the deployment ban," De Castro said.

A team led by Ambassador Roy Cimatu, head of the Middle East Preparedness Team, will be leaving for Iraq this month to study the possibility of lifting the ban. Cimatu’s team will also visit Lebanon and Nigeria—two other countries with existing OFW ban.

“Ambassador Cimatu will reassess the security risk in these countries, whether it will be safe for OFWs to be deployed in said countries," De Castro said.

Earlier, De Castro proposed a selective ban on these countries, seeking to lift travel and deployment restrictions in areas considered as centers of economic activities and where security situation have normalized.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stopped sending Filipino workers to Iraq following the kidnapping of a Filipino truck driver in 2004 and an accountant in 2005.

Before the ban, around 6,000 Filipinos are working in Iraq and confined inside US military camps due to the volatile security condition in the country.

But the figure, according to Iraq’s Embassy in Manila, has swelled to 15,000, most of them working for foreign companies in Iraq’s northern region. The workers reportedly entered Iraq either via the United Arab Emirates or Jordan. - GMANews.TV

Election Time

Undocumented OFWs can register--Comelec
By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:17:00 02/12/2009

Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Elections Philippines—
Almost two weeks into the registration for overseas absentee voting, only 2,045 have enlisted in the 93 foreign posts as of February 11, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
At the re-launch of the registration center at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special and Ocean Concerns Rafael Seguis said the turnout was still far from the one million target overseas registrants for the 2010 elections.
Elections Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said 123,220 had been de-listed from the certified list of voters of some 500,000 as of 2007 after they failed to vote in the last two polls.
He said they could enlist again during the registration period, which runs until August 31 this year.
The commissioner in charge of OAV said undocumented workers, which government estimates put at almost a million, may also register.
Seguis said he remained optimistic that with intensive information drive the one million target would be reached. He was hoping the POEA OAV registration center would enlist five to six times more than the 39,223 that it registered for 2007 polls.
Seguis, who chairs the DFA's OAV Secretariat, called on all qualified overseas Filipinos to register in the next six months and "participate in the nation's political process even if they are miles away from home."
Ferrer attributed the low turnout to the voting requirement on Filipino-Americans to return to the Philippines in three years. He said Comelec was proposing to either do away with the requirement or change it to seven years.
Asked about the problems being encountered in the overseas registration, the election official said some cameras of the data-capturing machines were breaking down.
____________________________________________________________
SHOW TIME
A clarion call to all OFWs of the Travel Banned Countries and to all our sympathizers
MAGKAISA!!!
WHO MADE US SUFFER?
WHO MADE US 'HEROES' AND THEN 'BINARIL TAYO SA LUNETA?'
Pang-munumento lang ba tayo?